One reliable path to failure and burnout as an entrepreneur is to build your startup for the wrong reasons. Today I invite you to dig deeper into your real motivations for building your company. Not the motivations you tell investors and media, but the real reasons you have dedicated your life to your company.

I have built several companies over the past 10 years. Some have succeeded, others have failed. When I look back at one of my failures, what I recognize is that my failure could have been avoided before I even started. I told myself and others that the reason I was building this company was to solve one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. From a place of heightened awareness, what I was really up to was filling a gap of self value and love within myself. I was being fueled by ego, hoping that by solving a major challenge for the human species that I would receive the recognition and love from others that I was not giving myself. That I would achieve the dream - a successful company, absolute financial freedom, and the comfort of knowing that my life served some higher purpose for our species.

The result? Big fat failure. It was a beautifully designed business plan by my higher self executed to perfection. By failing and falling flat on my face, I learned one of the most valuable lessons a human can learn.

No achievement, money, or accolades can fill the gap of self value and love within yourself. Self value and love is an inside job, and when you embrace the awareness that we are whole and perfect human beings regardless of what we “achieve,” you free up loads of energy to create and contribute for the sheer joy of it. Money, success, and accolades then become side effects of you simply expressing your unique brilliance in the world.

I want to appreciate my investors and team members from that project for their money and time to support me into this awareness that has freed me from the bonds of our societal programming. I just wish I could have found a less costly form of therapy. Gulp.

So how about you? Are you ready to face what’s truly motivating you to build your startup? At Good Startups our coaching team has a range of tools and exercises to support you in both accessing your true motivations, as well as those sneaky motivations that are blocking your full expression in the world. I wish I had the wisdom and support I do now, and I appreciate the opportunity to offer you this wisdom so you can avoid costly therapy, wasted time, and failure.

Justin Milano helps mindful entrepreneurs build exceptional companies. As a serial entrepreneur and certified leadership coach, Justin uses a unique blend of business and leadership coaching to help entrepreneurs create breakthroughs and fulfill their maximum potential.

To explore integrating Good Startups coaching into your startup, click here to learn about our signature program Breakthrough.